Barbed Coil [Paperback]

J V Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998

When Izgard of Garizon put on the Coil and crowned himself King, he set in train a course of tumultuous events that would reverberate around the continent. For the Coil must have blood. And the first blood to flow is that of Berick of Thorn, the legendary conqueror of Garizon. His son, Camron, wants revenge and knows that Izgard can only be stopped by force of arms. He seeks out the man who knows most about Izgard's murderous hordes - Lord Ravis, a ruthless mercenary with a dark and secret past. And Tessa McCamfrey is about to become caught up in this dangerous and exotic world - with the piratical Ravis, a beautifully patterned gold ring and a role to play in the momentous events that unfold. Look out for more information about this and other titles on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

On Earth, the Barbed Coil is a ring that transports Tessa McCamfrey to another world. After Tessa appears in the city of Bay'Zell, she quickly meets up with a mercenary named Ravis, who takes her under his wing just in time for the pair to be drafted by Camron of Thorn. Camron is bent on defeating the mad king, who is being controlled by a larger version of the Coil. And Tessa's newly discovered gift for magical illuminations might be the best weapon in the fight. J. V. Jones, one of fantasy's hottest new authors, provides plenty of action in The Barbed Coil. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Doorstopper new fantasy from the author of the Book of Words trilogy (Master and Fool, 1996, etc.). Tinnitus sufferer Tessa McCamfrey finds a remarkable barbed ring. When she puts it on, its points pierce her finger--and the pain transports her to another world. Here, Tessa will meet new people and enjoy various adventures involving the cruel and insanely ambitious King Izgard of Garizon: He wears a magic crown, the Barbed Coil--a larger version of Tessa's ring!--that helps its wearer win wars. In this world, too, illustrations--complex illuminations like those of medieval manuscripts--exert magic effects. Amid various subplots, the old scribe Ederius paints illustrations that transform Izgard's harras troops into relentless beast-warriors. Fortunately, Tessa's own scribing talents help counteract Ederius. Both crown and ring, she learns, are ``ephemera,'' magical objects that tumble in and out of reality. An ancient and mighty illumination binds the crown, preventing it from falling away into another world. So, somehow, Tessa must scribe an even mightier unbinding illumination to free the Coil and allow it to vanish, thus frustrating Izgard's dreams of conquest. Sparkling ideas embedded in vast swathes of conventionally inflated mediocrity: Fans of the previous trilogy should feel right at home. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Orbit & Abacus (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857235681
• ISBN-13: 978-1857235685
• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 7.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,934,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun book but with cliched characters., August 8, 2000

By 

victoria osborne - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barbed Coil (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It kept me interested and going. It explored a new form of magic. I had as of yet to see drawing as an active form of magic. We have read books were drawing was used for binding or warding or gaurding, but to see it used to manipulate and controll in real time was refreshing.

The story is your basic high fantasy with the cross world twist. (Someday I would love to read that cross over where the characters actually want to get back) Where a wall flower with a disability moves to a magical realm where she is powerful beautiful and everything else. Complete with her knight in shining armour or in this case black leather. As a result you know the ending and are not expecting any great earth shattering revalations about looking at our society.

The story was good and i would recommend it to anyone. But it is predictable with basic fantasy characters and a very distinct sense of black and white. So kick back sip hot cocoa pet you cat and read this book. If you want to look at our world differently then find another writer who will paint interesting perspecitives.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Diverting If Overlong Fantasy Adventure, June 28, 2000

By 

Elliott Campbell - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barbed Coil (Mass Market Paperback)

Despite other reviews posted here, I didn't think this book was all that bad. It is certainly not overwhelming in its brilliancy, but it's not hideously bad either. Basically, this is a competent and average work of fantasy.

I found the use of illuminations as a conduit for magic to be truly fascinating and a very clever idea. As for Tessa's hasty acceptance of her transition from her world to another, I actually appreciated this. Nothing bores me more than page after page of a transplanted character in such situations droning on about "This isn't happening to me" and "I can't believe this, I must be dreaming" etc. etc. Zzzzzzzzzzzz....

It is true, however, that this novel could have had a couple of hundred pages shaved off it in the course of editing , but over-all this work isn't half bad. An interesting and diverting read.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Shallow and full of small flaws, but still bearable, June 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Barbed Coil (Hardcover)

The idea of a person from our world travelling to a fantasy world suits fairie tales better and it bothered me all the way through the book. There wasn't really a reason why Tessa had to be from our world. She began as a shallow person and remained that way. Ravis with his Scar was The Mysterious Hero With A Dark Past. Not much character there. However, some of the characters showed a glimpse of the nice work Jones did with The Book of Words.

Basically, what we have here is a simple book that strangely reminds me of stories of my own I used to write some years ago when I was about 15 years old. Barbed Coil feels a bit rushed, it doesn't have enough meat over the characters' bones and aside from the well done scribing parts it lacks the feel of a good book.

As simple as its plot is, it's still too large for one book. Lack of details is clear. And if it had to be one book only, then the plot should have been less grand and more compressed.

Even with all this whining, I kinda liked the book as long as I didn't really concentrate on it. Even all these faults can't hide the fact that Jones is a pretty good writer and if it hadn't been for that, Barbed Coil would have been a complete failure. I hope the next trilogy from her follows Book of Words' footsteps. This was a halfhearted attempt and I have a feeling that it was written because the writer wanted to try out the dimension travelling character and the rather nice concept of illumination magic. However, it's as if she had gotten bored with everything in the book and rushed it to an (overly) happy end.